There are a number of sound-restricted environments where people may be prohibited or discouraged from using their mobile telephones to carry on a conversation, or may be otherwise prohibited or discouraged from speaking at a normal conversational level. One typical example of such an environment is onboard a commercial vehicle like an aircraft. In-flight mobile-telephone use is currently prohibited onboard commercial aircraft, but proposals have been introduced to begin allowing such use.
While allowing passengers onboard commercial aircraft to use their mobile telephones in flight has been greeted positively by some, and negatively by others. Some airlines that are positioned to provide the necessary infrastructure to enable passengers to make mobile telephone calls see the potential for an added source of revenue. Other airlines have raised concerns for passengers who may be bothered by the added noise that may be created within the confined space of the cabin. Further, some airline employee union members have raised concerns of having to arbitrate disputes between passengers making telephone calls and those who are bothered by the audible noise or personal content generated by those on both sides of the telephone conversation.
Therefore, it may be desirable to have an apparatus and method that allows someone in a sound-restricted environment to use their mobile telephone to carry on a conversation, while conversing at a level low enough to be unintelligible or distracting to others around them, and while still outputting their voice at a normal sound level for the person on the receiving end of the conversation.